Feed table for sheet-feeding mechanism



A ma 3, 1927.

1,627,064 C. F ROOT FEED TABLE FOR SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Oct.16, 1923 2 sheets-sheet INVENTOR.

ATTORN'EYS C. F. ROOT FEED TABLE FOR SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed0611.16, 1923 "2 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 3 1 927.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYJ' Patented May 3, 1927 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ROOT, OI CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHANDLER & PRICECOMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

FEED TABLE FOR SHEET-FEEDIN G MECHANISM.

Application filed October 16, 1923., Serial No. 668,903.

In connection with sheet feeding mechanisms, such as are employed forexample to feed blank sheets to printing presses of the platen orso-called Gordon type, where individual sheets are successivelytransferred from a stack to the platen, it is desirable that the stackof blank sheets be elevated so as to maintain the topmost sheet insubstantially a constant plane. This in fact is more or less essentialfor otherwise the construction and operation of the feeding mechanism isvery greatly complicated inasmuch as the platen on which, the sheets areto bedeposited always lies in a predetermined fixed plane when in sheetreceiving position. Furthermore, in order that the successive sheets maybe deposited in proper register on such platen, it is desirable that thestack be located and held with the sheets in proper alignment bothlongitudinally and transversely so,that when picked up by the feedingmechanism and trans ferred to the platen, they will be deposited on thelatter in exactly the right place.

The principal object of the present invention, accordingly, is toprovide in connection with'a table for supporting such a stack of sheetsmeansfor automatically elevating the same so as to always maintain thetop of the stack at the proper height. A further object is to providemeans whereby the stack may be conveniently as well as accuratelylocated on such table in proper relation to the platen.

To the accomplisl'nnent of the foregoing and related ends, theinvention,.then, consists of the means hereinafter full described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and thefollowing description setting forth in detail certain mechanismembodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, butone of various mechanical formsin which the principle of the inventionmay be used.

. In said annexed drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a feed tableembodying my present improvements; Fig.

is a side elevation of the same as viewed from the left in Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a top plan view of such table; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectionthrough the elevating mechanism of the table, the plane of the sectionbeing indicated by the line 4-4 on Figs. 1 and 2, respectively; and Fig.5 is a vertical section on line 5--5, Fig. 3.

As indicated, my improved feed table is designed more especially for usewith platen presses and the embodiment shown in the drawings followssuch design. .It Will be understood, however, that the use of thetableis not necessaril limited to an such particular type of printing press.11 the contrary, suchlfeed table may beemployed in various fields wheresimilar problems are encountered- Of the press, the only part shown inthe drawings (see Fig. 2g is one of the stationary side frames 1, t etable being disposed laterally and more or less to the front of suchframe so as to lie for wardly of the main shaft 2 of the press.

The feed table consists primarily of a fiat plate 5, preferably ofrectangular form, as shown in Fig. 3, and is carried on the upper end ofa shaft 6, vertically movable in a tubular housing 7 that is suitablysupported, as by means of a bracket 1, from the side frame 1 of thepress. As shown in Fig. 1, such table inclines at an angle to thehorizontal, the right-hand edge thereof, from which the successivesheets are intended to be removed from the stackB, being higher than theopposite edge. If desired, however, the table may be horizontallydisposed, its particular disposition in this re spect depending upon thetype of feedin device wherewith it is intended to be use It will beunderstood that similarly the angularposition of the table about theaxis of the supporting shaft 6, i. e. with respect to the side frame 1,or in other words the median line of the press, may be varied toproperly accommodate the table to the operation of such feeding device.The table comprises, in addition to two fiat plates 5, 5, on

which the sheets directly rest, a second, base plate 5 that is directlyattached to the supporting shaft 6, as shown in Fig. 5. Said plate 5 istransversely adjustable on such base plate, a clamp screw 5 beingprovided to retain same in predetermined position thereon, as will bereadily understood; while Iplate 5 is in turn adjustable relativelytoplate 5 in the same transverse direction, be

ing formed with a ton, ;ue'5 that is guided in a groove 5 in said plate5. A clamp screw 5 serves to secure the two plates together. A sub-base9, also in the form of a plate, is provided, such sub-base being theedly secured to the tubular housing 7 wherein shaft 6 is verticallymovable, as previously described. This sub-base desirably inclines atthe same angle as plates. 5 and 5 and is utilized to carry a series ofguides that may be adjusted to contact with the respective sides of thestack of sheets when the latter are properly located on the table.

For thus contacting and retaining in place the right-hand edge of thestack, as viewed in Fig. 1, two vertical guides 11 are employed, thesebeing vertically adjustably secured by means of clamp screws 12 to alongitudinally extending bracket 13 that is in turn transverselyadjustably secured to the sub-base 9 by means of a clamp screw 14 whichco-operates with a transverse slot 15 in said sub-base. In addition twoguides 16 are provided to engage the left-hand edge of the stack andtwolend guides 17 are provided to engage with the front and rear edgesof the stack, as viewed in said Fig. 1. For the purpose of adjustablysupporting each of said guides 16, the sub-base 9 is formed with aseries of transversely extend ing slots 20 which are of graduatedlengths corresponding with the lengths of similar slots 21 formed in thetable proper. Said guides may be secured at their lower ends in selectedpairs of slots 21 and adjusted along such slots towards or from theopposite guides 11 so as to accommodate sheets of varying widths.Similarly the guides 17 that contact with the ends of the stack areadjustably secured at their lower ends to longitudinally extending slots22 in the'subbase, the table proper being formed with correspondingslots 23 through which the upper ends of said guides pro ect. Verticaladjustment of guides 16 and 17 is unnecessary, it being suflicient thatguides 11 be thus adjustable so that the upper ends of such lastmentioned guides may be brought to just the proper level to permit thetopmost sheet of the stack to be carried thereover by the feedingmechanism.

The tubular housing 7, wherein shaft 6 is Vertically movable, alsoserves as a support for the table elevating mechanism which includes arack 25, directly cut or otherwise fixed to one side of said shaft 6,and a pinion 26 that meshes with said rack, said pinion being mounted ona transverse spindle 27 journaled in suitable bearings in said housing(see Fig. 4). Freely rotatably mounted on the forwardly projecting endof said spindle is a worm gear 28 that is adapted to be normallyclutched to said spindle by means of a disk 29, keyed or otherwisenonrotatably mounted on the latter and having limited longitudinalmovement with respect thereto, the outer face of said gear being formedwith a circular series of holes 30 and the juxtaposed face of said diskbeing outwardlly against a compression spring 333 so as to isengagc suchpin or pins from the holes in the gear, and thereupon by rotation ofsaid knob the spindle 27 may be rotated independently of the gear toraise or lower the shaft 6, and thus the table, in order initially toadjust the vertical position of the latter.

Journaled in suitable bearings attached to or forming a part of thehousing 7 is a second spindle 36 that lies at right angles to spindle 27and directly below the same, such spindle carrying a worm 38 that mesheswith worm gear 28 and is adapted, when the latter is clutched to saidspindle 27 through the medium of clutch plate 29, to rotate said lastmentioned spindle and thus actuate shaft 6. Rotation of spindle 36 isdesigned normally to be secured through automatically controlledmechanism driven by the press or, specifically in the constructionshown. by a shaft 39 that is suitably intergeared with the drivingmechanism of the press, such shaft being located forwardlv of the lowerportion of side frames 1 of the latter. The specific driving connectionsbetween said spindlc 36 and shaft 39 comprise a sprocket chain 40 andsprocket gears 41- and 42 on said spindle and shaft, respectively. Onesuch sprocket wheel, e. g. sprocket wheel 41, as shown, is connectedwith the corresponding driving or driven member through the medium of afriction clutch 43, whereby it is rendered possible to lock spindle 36against rotation when and as desired.

The device for thus locking spindle 36 against rotation, it will beseen, constitutes the means for controlling the raising of shaft 6 andthus the elevation of the table carried thereby and'these means will nowbe described.-

Disposed to the left of the table, as viewed in Fig. 1, is a verticalsupport 45, preferably consisting of a tubular rod for the sake oflightness, the upper portion of such support: being a telescoping rod 46that may be secured at desired elevation in the main support by means ofa suitable clamp 47. intending at approximately a right angle from theupper end of the support is an arm 48 that is provided with a plate 49disposed in a plane parallel with that of the table 5 so as to beadaptedto contact flat wise with the top of the stack 8. The sup port 45, andthus the plate 49 carried there by. is secured to housing 7 so as to bevcrtically reciprocable by means of paired parallel links 50 and 51,pivotally attached means of which the table is attached to the sideframe 1 of the press. The other arm 5}) of such lever is provided with aroller-W) at its lower end which is adapted to contact with a disk cam61 on the same shaft 39 from which spindle 36 of the table elevatingmechanism is driven. The contour of cam 61 is such that the lever arm 51will:

be periodically depressed through the medium of said double lever 55,59, and thereby raise support 45 with plate 49 to the position idicatedin full lines in Fig. 1. Fol-' lowing each such lifting moven'ient,plate 49 is allowed to drop until it rests and is supported by the stackof sheets 8. Obviously the limit of such downward movement of the plate49 will vary as the stack of sheets is depleted by the removal ofsuccessive sheets from the top of the stack.

l ixedly secured on the end of spindle 36,

\ adjacent support 45, is a ratchet wheel (55 \A'eadily understood.

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and pivotally attached to the housing on the corresponding side thereofis a pawl (36 that is normaliy adapted under the influence of gravitytoengage with a tooth on said ratchetwheel' and thereby retain sameagainst rotation. \Vhen the pawl thusengages with the ratchet wheel thedriving connections between shaft 39 and spindle 36 are of courseinefi'ective to rotate the latter. Whenever the support 45 drops to apredetermined point, the pawl is adapted to beraised out of engagementwith the ratchet wheel through the medium of an arm (57 that projectsinwardly from said support into position to engage with the rearwardlyextending portion of saidpawl, as will be Accordingly whenever the stack8 is depleted sufliciently so that when pate 49 is dro ed into contacttherewith the arm 67 e ectively engages said pawl, the ratchet wheel andthus spindle 36 are left free to be rotated through the aforesaiddriving connections, with the result that the shaft 6 and thus the tablewill be elevated until plate 49 no longer can drop far enough to keepthe pawl from locking the ratchet.

From the foregoing description of'the several component parts of myimproved feed table, it will be seen that not only is provision made foraccurately locating. the

stack of sheets on the table so as to present such sheets to the feedingmechanism in properre'ation, but also by reason of the automatic.elevating device. the topmost sheet of such stack will be alwaysmaintained at substantially a predetermined height. g Such elevatingmechanism is not only entirely automatic in its operation, but at thesame time consists of 0111 a few parts readily accessible and not like yto get out of order.

()ther modes of applying the principle of my, invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means andthe steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any one of thefollowing claims or their equivalents be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invent1on:

- 1'. The combination with a feed table of the character described; ofmeans adapted to elevate said table at'a predetern'iined rate; avertically reciprocatory member adapted to contact on downward movementwith the top of a stack of sheets on said table: means adaptedperiodically to raise said member; a second member normally preventingoperation of said elevating means; and connections between said memberswhereby the second thereof is rendered ineffective and operation of saidelevating means is permitted whenever said first member is allowed bythe stack to drop to a predetermined position. I

2. The combination with a feed tab'e of the character described; of avertically'movable support forsaid table; a rack and pinion adapted toraise and lower said support; driving means for said pinion; avertically reciprocat ry member adapted to contact on downward movementwith the top of a stack of sheets on said table; and connections betweensaid member and driving means for controlling operation of the latter,whereby such operation is permitted only when said member is allowed bythe stack to drop to a predetermined position.

3. The combination with a feed table of the character described; of avertically movable support for said table; a rack and pinion adapted toraise and lower said support; means normally tending to drive saidpinion to elevate said support; a pawl and ratchet device normallylockingsaid means against operation: a vertically reciprocatory memberadapted to contact upon downwardmovement with the top of a stack ofsheets.

on said table; and connections between said member and device adapted torender the latter inoperative and so permit said pinion to be drivenwhenever said member is allowed by the stack to drop to a predeterminedposition. i

4. The combination with a feed table of the character described; of avertically movable support for said table; a rack and pinion adapted toraise and lower said support;

-a driving shaft for said pinion; means for rotating said shaft,including a friction clutch; a pawl and ratchet device normally lockingsaid shaft against rotation; a vertically reciprocatory member adaptedto contact upon downward movement with the top of a stack of sheets onsaid table; and connections between said member and device adapted torender the latter inoperative and so permit said pinion to be drivenwhenever said member is allowed by the stack to drop to a predeterminedposition.

' for rotating said shaft, including a friction clutch; a pawl andratchet device normally locking said shaft against rotation; avertically reciprocatory member adapted to contact upon downwardmovement with the top of a stack of sheets on said table; andc'onnections between said member and device adapted to render the latterinoperative and so permit said pinion to be driven whenever said memberis allowed by the stack to drop to a predetermined position.

6. The combination with a feed, table of the character described; of avertically movable support for said table; a rack and pinion adapted toraise and lower said support; a worm and worm gear for driving saidpinion; a shaft for said gear whereon the latter is loosely mounted; anda clutch member non-rotata'bly but longitudinally movably mounted onsaid shaft and adapted to engage with said gear.

7. The combination with a feed table of the character described; of avertically movable support for said table; a rack and pinion adapted toraise and lower said support; a worm and worm gear for driving saidpinion; a shaft for said gear whereon the latter is loosely mounted; aclutch member non-rotatably but longitudinally movably mounted on saidshaft and adapted to engage with said gear a ratchet wheel connected torotate with said Worm; a pawl normally engaging saidratchet wheel toprevent rotation thereof and of said worm; a vertically reciprocatorymember adapted to contact upon downward movement with the top of a stackof sheets on said table; and an arm carried by said member adapted toengage and actuate said pawl to release said ratchet wheel, wheneversaid member is allowed by the stack to drop to a predetermined position.

8. The combination with a feed table of the character described; of avertically movable support for said table; a rack and pinion adapted toraise and lower said support; a worm and worm gear for driving saidpinion; a shaft for said gear whereon the latter is loosely mounted; aclutch member non-rotatably but longitudinally movably mounted on saidshaft and adapted to engage with said gear; a ratchet wheel connected torotate with said worm; a pawl normally engaging said ratchet wheel toprevent rotation thereof and of said worm, a vertically reciprocablesupport disposed adjacent said table; a plate carried by the upper endof said support adapted upon downward movement thereof to contact withthe top of a stack of sheets on said table, thereby limiting suchdownward movement; means adapted periodically to raise said support; andan arm carried by said support adapted to engage and actuate said pawlto release said ratchet wheel, whenever said member is allowed by thestack to drop to a predetermined position.

9. In a feed table of the character described, the combination of aplate whereon a stack of sheets may be placed; a vertically movablesupport for said plate; a fixed support beneath said plate; pluralseries of slots lyingin a plane parallel with that of said plate, theslots of each series differing in length and those of oneseriesextending in a rectangularly related direction to those of the adjacentseries; and vertical guides adjustably secured in such slots andprojecting above said plate.

Signed by me, this llth day of October, 1923.

CHARLES R ROOT.

